


Adeline

by HxzzxElxse



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Adopted, Ageplay, Baby, BabyGirl, Crib, DDLG, Daddies, Forced, Kidnapped, Little, Little Space, Pacifier - Freeform, Pet Names, Stockholm Syndrome, bottle, daddy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2018-07-24 01:49:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7488630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HxzzxElxse/pseuds/HxzzxElxse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adeline's childhood is harshly ripped from her grasp without any protest- none, except for her five Daddies who plan to restore it, no matter what obstacles come their way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> ***AGE PLAY STORY: IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE CONCEPT/DON'T AGREE WITH IT, THEN DON'T READ***

     Adeline had always led a life filled with trouble. The sweet girl did not know any better, but the five men that furtively watched over her did. They saw how she struggled to make friends because of her lack of social skills, due to the crippling anxiety that she had developed from the pressure of perfection that her mother seeked from her as a child. They saw how the beautiful girl would catch a glimpse of her reflection and instantly turn her gaze away in.. self consciousness? Yes, but, more so shame. Shame that she could not achieve her mother's unacheivable vision of what she wanted her daughter to be. They saw how Adeline worshipped the very person who tore her self-esteem down, picking her apart when she was supposed to be the beacon of support and motherly love in the young girl's life. They saw how she would stare at the grave of her mother for hours upon hours, sometimes letting apologies for her incompetence slip out of her mouth, feeling as though her mother were looking down on her for not being fit enough, not having good manners, not having good social skills, not achieving grades that were high enough, not being perfect. They saw how her high stress level would cause her to break down at the smallest of things, like spilling her drink or forgetting to make her bed. They saw how the delicate girl took the responsibilities of the house, as her grandmother was too elderly and frail to do so herself. They saw how the skinny girl would give up meals for her grandmother because she didn't have enough money to buy food for the both of them. They saw as Adeline's childhood was taken from her small grasp without a word of protest.

And they all knew that they would restore the young girl's childhood, no matter what obstacles came their way.


	2. Chapter 1 - Initiation

     The air was crisp around the young girl, the slight breeze causing wisps of her long, dark, chocolate hair to blow around her slightly, goosebumps arising on the skin left uncovered by her tattered clothing. She had recently lost the only jacket that she owned somewhere between her school, two jobs, and home; the little money that she made was scarcely enough to pay for her grandmother’s meals, much less a new article of clothing. It was much of an inconvenience as she walked everywhere she went and it was growing bitter with cold as the seasons began to reach autumn. Her breath could be seen puffing from her cherry lips, small body quivering as she hugged her frail arms around her frame in a weak attempt to trap some body heat.

     The neighborhood was blanketed in darkness, other than the scarcely illuminating street lamps which buzzed and flickered unconfidently. Not a soul was in sight, at least, not through her innocent eyes. Little did Adeline know, she was not alone; as a matter of fact, she had not been truly alone for months. Unbeknown to her, since about the same time last year, she had always had four pairs of eyes watching over her. The eerie part- at least in her opinion- was that she had even witnessed the men, a handful of times, with her own eyes before the taking. Of course, her naive mind thought nothing of it. Never would she have guessed that they were the same men who would take her from the lifestyle that she had only ever known and ‘shelter’ her from the harshness of the world, changing her life forever.

     When one of these said men _just so happened_ to be walking her way when she rounded a corner, no suspicious or paranoid thoughts entered her mind. She believed he was purely attempting to reach his own destination and would walk right past her with no other word. However, when he was close enough, the smaller girl was surprised to see him stop for a bit of conversation. His face had an odd sense of familiarity to her, but she assumed she had probably just seen him around town before. After all, Louis has always been a rather harmless looking person, even to people not so innocent as Adeline. Adeline’s footsteps slowly came to a stop. She kept a fair amount of distance between herself and the stranger. No warning bells were rang in her head, prepared only for some small-talk. A warm, yet shy smile instantly formed on the sweet girl's plump lips. Louis somehow felt pride fill his being at the politeness of the little girl- his little girl. “Hi there, babe. I'm Louis.” Adeline decided that she already liked this man. His voice was light hearted and feathery sounding, and he seemed very friendly.

     “Hello, mister,” her polite response came out so little and Louis felt his heart could burst at any moment. She could not meet his bright, ocean eyes, instead letting them wander to the roughed-up shoes on her tiny feet. The man desperately wanted to cup his hand around her beautiful face and bring her head up to meet his eyes. He knew it would have to wait.

     “It's pretty late for a young girl to be out walking alone, don't you agree?” She glanced up at him and tilted her head to the side in thought. She didn't find his words unsettling in the slightest. Louis’ lips twitched with a slight smile at her innocence.

     “I'm just on my way home, mister.” Louis had already known that. He knew about the two jobs that the little girl worked after school that barely paid and worked her until she was exhausted and sore.

     “It's rather cold out tonight.. How about I just drive you home? My car is just around the corner.” Louis’ thumb gestured behind him to show. “It'll be no trouble,” he added in further attempt to make Adeline agree. His bubblegum colored lips put on a warming smile to make the inquiry seem more harmless.

       
Now this did seem a bit odd to Adeline. ‘ _What is he doing walking around when he has a car just around the corner?’_ She thought to herself. As quickly as the thought came, she brushed it off. She was sure the man meant no harm. He was just concerned for her and was trying to be polite. However, she thought it best to decline his offer.

  
     “Oh, no thank you sir,” she replied politely and shook her head. “I'm used to walking- I _like_ walking.” She fumbled with her words, trying her best to reassure him that she was perfectly fine.

     “Really, darling, I would feel horrible leaving a young girl such as yourself to walk alone in the cold at this time of night when I have a perfectly fine, running car.” Adeline pondered this. She certainly didn't want to make the man feel guilty at her expense.

     “I..” She trailed off unsurely.

     Louis quickly took action, knowing that the girl was on the brink of accepting. “I'll take you straight home, darling. I'll turn on the heat so your nice and toasty and you can put on whatever music you'd like. Doesn't that sound nice?” Adeline couldn't deny that. It _did_ sound nice. The tip of her nose was already tinted red in the bitter cold and her fingers and toes were rather sore, cramping up and begging for heat. The prospect of listening to music also made her ears perk up. She hardly ever got the chance to listen to music, and she absolutely loved to hear the melodic notes and sing along to the catchy tunes.

     “O-okay,” she finally decided. Her head nodded up and down, trying to convince herself that there was no harm in accepting his offer.

     “Yeah?” Louis asked gleefully and she nodded slightly in reply, small smile twitching at her lips at his excited response. “Alright, well let's go sweetheart.” He stuck his hand out, desperately hoping she'd put her delicate hand in his awaiting one. Hesitantly, she did so, his hand enveloping her small one and automatically helping to warm her frigid digits. A cross between a smirk and a heartfelt smile plastered itself onto Louis’ face. Beginning the descent towards his car, the man kept his pace slower than usual so that the little girl’s shorter legs could keep up.

     When the two rounded the corner, Adeline could indeed see a car awaiting. It was quietly lingering in its sleek, black entirety, rumbling lowly, the headlights creating two long beams in front of it. Her jaw almost dropped to the floor at the sight of it. It looked so fancy and it must have cost a fortune. Adeline didn't know much about cars, but she indeed knew that this is one that people yearned for and dreamed of having. “Is that your car, Mister Louis?”

     Louis wanted to laugh at her absolutely astonished persona. Him and the other four lads had plenty of money, there was no doubt about that. In fact, the beautiful car hadn't even made a dent in his savings. “It is,” he confirmed. The sight of the adolescent girl’s wide, innocent blue eyes was so endearing as she gaped at the car. Everything she did seemed to make Louis want to snuggle her up and take care of her.

     “It's _really_ pretty.”

     Louis approached her side with her. “Yeah? Do you like it?”

     “Oh yes, sir.” She nodded vigorously, her eyes twinkling in delight.

     Louis laughed lightly. “I'm glad,” he said honestly, as he opened up her door for her. She lowered herself into the seat after thanking Louis quaintly. The interior was all an appealing black leather, the windows dimmed- which Adeline hadn't realized at the time was another red flag that she had failed to notice- with a new car scent mixed with a manly musk. “Make sure to buckle in, sweetheart.” Louis didn't shut the door until he was ensured that she did so. He then strode over to his side, settling into his seat. The warmth felt so comforting to Adeline as she began to regain feeling in her limbs. The man buckled his seatbelt and pulled back out onto the street. After driving for a few seconds, Louis’ voice rang out. “What music would you like, babe?”

     Adeline pondered this. She didn't really know considering she never really listened to any. “I, umm.. I..” Adeline felt pressured to answer the question, as she always got stressed at small things like deciding what music to listen to.

     Louis smiled warmly. “Don't stress, darling. How about I choose, hmm?” ‘ _Because you're too little to make decisions by yourself,’_ he thought to himself. She smiled in appreciation, uttering a ‘yes please.’ He turned on some gentle alternative music and Adeline automatically began humming along, already loving the calming tunes. They drove for a bit listening to the music in a comfortable silence.

     Although he was nervous, he knew he had to initiate the plan. “Would you like some soda pop? I have some cream soda right in that cup holder there,” Louis said, nodding towards it. The boys had learned in the past year that that was her favorite kind of soda, among multiple other little tidbits about Adeline. Her eyes bugged at the thought. Adeline absolutely _adored_ the fizzy beverage and it was a rare occurrence when she got the chance to drink it.

     “Really? That's my favorite, Mister Louis!”

     He snickered. “Of course, go ahead and have it. I haven't drank out of it, yet.” Adeline excitedly grabbed it from the holder, not forgetting to say thank you first. She untwisted the cap and took a sip, almost moaning at the taste, before taking a gulp of it. Louis felt his fingers jitter lightly with a multitude of mixed emotions. He was anxious, excited, and guilty all at once.

  
     Before they both knew it, Adeline had drank the entire bottle and replaced it in its original spot. She sighed in content. Louis eyed her from the corner of his eye a few minutes later. She had rubbed her eye adorably, suddenly becoming rather tired. He knew that it was starting to kick in. “Mister Louis, I don't feel very well,” she slurred, not knowing what was happening to her; however, Louis knew all too well.

     “It's alright baby, just relax. It'll be over before you know it.”

     Adeline didn't have time to question what he meant before her eyelids fell closed and she was out like a light.


	3. Chapter 2 - A Nightmarish Reality

     Adeline wakes feeling groggy and sore. She does not realize at the time that the few blissful moments this morning will be something that she will look back on in the future and crave for the same, oblivious feeling. Momentarily, she does not recall the events that had happened the night before.

     The discombobulated girl immediately takes note that she is sleeping on something a million times more pleasant than her own thin and uncomfortable mattress -if it could even be called that- in which the metal springs and coils built into it jab at her delicate body and are often reason for her to sleep on the hard floor as it is usually more comfortable for her. Her hands instinctively clench and release, clench and release the downy duvet that she is wrapped in. She is so cozy, yet achy at the same time. This is not new to Adeline, the pain, as a prevalent aching is often felt in her little body, due to a mixture of things- her malnutrition, the hard surfaces she sleeps on, children giving her a hard time at school, the cold that she is often exposed to, the list goes on.

     The small girl finally peels her eyes open and is immediately met with disorientation. She feels slightly dizzy and the little gleam of light that peeks past the flowy, rich brown curtains hurts her eyes. She groans lightly, slowly roaming her doe eyes around her surroundings. Dark eyebrows furrow in a daze. This isn't her normal, tiny room that lacks color or anything except the bare necessities. No, this is the room of her dreams.

     The cherry blossom theme is apparent, the large room filled with the dusty pink color that happens to be Adeline's favorite. One of the walls is painted with a beautiful painting of a large twisting tree. It is adorned with pink blossoms that look as though they are flowing in a gentle breeze, and is taller than Adeline herself. The winsome mural contrasts against the other walls, which are a blank canvas of the same blushing pink as that of the flowers painted on the tree. The deep, sultry brown color of the trunk is used for things around the room, like the furniture and the comforter that Adeline clutches onto.

     Upon finding a peculiar furniture piece, Adeline suddenly comes to another realization; she somehow hadn't noticed in the awe of the moment. The funny-looking, padded surface with built in drawers underneath that she had passed off as just an odd dresser, isn't a dresser at all. In fact, it seems to be.. an oversized changing table? It's big enough to fit even Adeline. There is no way. She has seen changing tables only a few times in movies and such. Adeline looks over it one more time in disbelief and decides that, yes, that is indeed what it is. The baby changing necessities that are on display on an open shelf directly underneath the padded surface make it undoubtable. A look of pure confusion overtakes her features.

     Looking further, Adeline becomes aware that the room is filled with many childish objects. Stuffed animals are placed in different parts of the room along with various other toys, a rocking chair, a toy chest in the corner, a fairy night light… Everywhere the bewildered girl looks there is some sort of connotation with a toddler or a baby’s livelihood.

     The thing that startles her most of all is that Adeline could not have been any more involved in the situation. The wooden rails around her are suddenly very evident. In fact, wooden rails surround the entire mattress that she is on. Panic floods through her entire being when she realizes- _she is in a crib._ Quickly removing the warmth of the covers from herself, the poor girl is horrified when she finds her attire. A long sleeved, pastel pink onesie with a crescent moon in the center is clipped onto her little frame. As if it can possibly get any worse, Adeline hears a crinkle when she moves slightly. _A diaper_.

     Breathing suddenly becomes much more of a labour, Adeline having difficulty coping as she desperately gasps for breath. Torrents of salty tears begin to stream down her flustered cheeks. In a fraught attempt, she grabs the rails to the side of her and begins to rattle them hopelessly. Sitting up on her knees, the frightened teenager decides she will have to climb over as the gate won't budge. Just as she brings one of her shaky legs over the railing, the door opens. Adeline freezes in place. She looks up slowly to see Louis. _Louis._

     Memories from the night before come flooding back to her. She remembers falling asleep, but how did she end up _here_? A contradiction of trust and accusement well up within her.

     Silence. Louis stares at the girl cautiously while Adeline stares right back, frozen in place and resembling a deer in headlights. He was really hoping she would still be asleep when he came in so that he could ease her gently out of her sleeping state and explain the situation before the anxious girl had the opportunity to overthink herself into a panic.

     “Adeline,” Louis eventually says in the most calming voice possible, hoping not to worsen the little girl’s frazzled state any further. However, it has the opposite effect, Adeline's body jolting into action, scrambling to release herself from the cage and the maverick situation that she has somehow found herself thrust into. Her other leg clambers over with no thought to how she will land. Clumsily, her body makes contact with the floor in a heap, a sharp pain jolting up her foot. She cries out, startled blue eyes looking up to see Louis rushing towards her worriedly. Adeline quickly collects herself, pushing up off of the soft white carpet despite the sharp protests shooting from her now damaged ankle. Her eyes dance left and right, desperately searching for a way to escape.

     She quickly darts around him when he is within arms length, making a break for the door of the adult-sized nursery. “Adeline!” Louis calls out to her and automatically reaches for the young girl. He wasn't expecting her to dart off like this. Adeline _just_ misses his hand, his fingers barely brushing the fabric of the back of the onesie. She finds herself in a hallway and takes no time to decide whether to go left or right, feet automatically taking her right. She really wants nothing more than to sit on the ground and cry and rub at her pounding ankle, but she needs to get out of here.

     Her surroundings pass by her in a blur, adrenaline pumping through her veins. The sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears is blaringly loud. Adeline quickly whips her head around, knowing she wouldn't be able to hear someone pursuing her now even if she tried. She is startled to see the same man who caused all of this following hot on her hills. The little girl notes his lips moving. She assumes that he is calling out for her. Her legs are forced to move faster. Finally, she sees a staircase to her left and makes a sharp turn. When her foot hits the first stair, the tears really do flow out, the pain in her ankle bone amplifying with each step. Despite this, Adeline pushes onward, rushing down the stairs as quickly as possible. Her vision becomes blurry with moisture, eyes blinking like mad to clear it up, but the tears keep coming with each pang in her foot.

     When little feet land on solid flooring, Adeline is relieved, but gives herself no time to relinquish. She could bawl in relief at the sight of a front door to the right of her. Deciding there's no time to look back, she charges to her escape. Swinging the door open, Adeline looks behind her to see Louis only a few feet away, but she keeps her feet moving- and suddenly, her body is abruptly halted, colliding with something solid. The small teenager falls to the ground at the force. All of the oxygen exhales from her body in a swift breath, the wind knocked out of her. She hysterically tries to get air into her lungs, torrents of cold, salty tears scampering down her cheeks. It feels as though someone is sitting on her chest. A hand pushes her body gently upwards into a sitting position.

     It is only after a few minutes of struggling for breath that she recognizes that the same hand is on her back, rubbing up and down in slow motions. As the beat of her frantic heart calms down and the adrenaline drains from her, the exhausted, but still terrified girl can hear calming words being spoken. Her big, rheumy blue eyes slowly scan upwards and around, landing on not only Louis, whom she had expected, but yet another man, hovering over her and watching her closely with a deeply worried facial expression. _So that's what she had ran into, or, rather, who_. Harry had just been coming through the door, and, unbeknownst to the little girl, had just unlocked it, allowing her to open it. It would have been locked any other time. Louis crouches halfway behind her, not stopping the movement of his hand on her back.

    _“Are you alright, baby?”_

_“Does anything hurt, sweetheart?”_

_“Darling, can you breathe okay?”_

_“Can you point to what hurts?”_

_“We’re not going to hurt you.”_

_“It's alright. You're okay, little one.”_

     Soothing comments and concerned questions flood her ears, the two men's voices contrasting greatly against one another, this new man with a deep, raspy voice, unlike Louis’ feathery tone. The men become increasingly worried as she doesn't answer any of their inquiries. Everything is so overwhelming, and Adeline feels as though she is being suffocated. She only wishes that the feeling could merely be from falling, all of the air being pushed out of her lungs. But, no. That is not the problem. The inescapable issue is that she has somehow been subjugated into this nightmare of reality- an _absolute_ _nightmare_ and everything is so _overwhelming_ and it's _all happening at once_ and Adeline is _scared_ and _confused_ and she _never could have dreamed_ this would happen to her and she doesn't know _where she is_ and she doesn't know _what these men could possibly want_ to do with her and-

     “Adeline!” A shake to her shoulder. She shakes her head, snapping out of her frantic haze of questions and concerns. She feels as though she could cry again, but no tears are released from her. It's as if the poor girl has already cried out every morsel of water in her body. Adeline flinches as a hand comes up under her chin, gently tilting her head so her vision is locked on the new man with the curly hair. “Are you alright, love? Where do you hurt?” Harry uses the gentlest voice he can manage, not wanting to frazzle the fragile little one any more than they already have.

     Adeline feels her lip quiver, and she knows she couldn't assemble a formation of words at the moment even if she tried. Harry’s gaze turns even more sympathetic, if possible, and he lightly strokes underneath her pouty, red lip. “Shhh, it's alright, baby. I know you're scared right now, but we'd really like to know what's hurting you so we can try to help you. Just calm down, hmm? It'll all be okay, angel. I promise.” He gently strokes her long, dark chocolate hair as he speaks.

     The onslaught of feelings and emotions coursing through Adeline's veins leaves little room for physical feeling, but the throbbing of her ankle manages to push through. Thinking logically, she knows she won't be able to get away at the moment, especially not in the shape she's in. Maybe it will do her good to let them help her, for now. Her escape will have to wait, she decides. When she is in a better condition she will have a better chance.

     “M-my ankle,” Adeline crackles out in a voice that sounds so exhausted and extremely delicate. Her voice is so quiet that Harry just barely catches it. Louis looks at his friend confusedly, obviously not picking up her nearly silent response. Harry licks his lips and turns back to the unsettled teen.

     “Yeah? I'm sorry, sweetheart. Do you mind if I take a look at it?” Harry is going to have to check it out either way and only hopes that she will give permission so that it goes a bit smoother. “O-o-okay,” she gives her consent. Adeline's eyes blink rapidly as Harry’s hand caresses her cheek a final time, lashes fluttering. He gives her a small smile. His eyes flicker down to her ankle, and he very carefully applies a little pressure to the obviously swollen joint. The receiver whimpers, foot jerking slightly by reflex. Harry frowns. _His poor baby._

     “Louis, would you mind getting an ice pack from the kitchen, please? I'm going to bring her to the living room.” Louis nods, and stands to do so. The feeling of guilt weighs heavily on his shoulders, but he knows in the back of his mind that this is all for the best.

     “Okay, now I'm going to lift you up, okay baby? You can get nice and comfy on the couch and snuggle up in a warm blanket. I'll turn on the telly for you to watch or you can take a little nap, and let that ankle rest, yeah?” Adeline would really rather not have this strange man, whom she knew was in on whatever weird thing Louis was trying to achieve by putting her in baby clothes and surrounding her with baby items, carry her, or even touch her at all, really. Yet, the twinge in her lower leg made her want to never place her feet on the floor again. After twiddling her thumbs and weighing the pros and cons for a moment, she gives a shy, small nod. “Good girl,” Harry praises quietly.

     Scooping her up and onto his hip, Harry is alarmed at how light the teenager is. He hopes to get her to a more healthy state as soon as possible. Adeline cautiously wraps her arms around Harry's neck. The man easily brings her into a beautifully furnished sitting room. Innocent eyes gaze around the area, wider than saucers. Adeline has never seen such a beautiful room. The cream toned couches and armchairs look plush and lavish, the window-to-floor curtains matching the smooth color. The white carpet looks impeccably soft to the touch, Adeline wondering how the men manage to keep it so cleanly and bright, and wishing to wriggle her toes on the material. A simple chandelier hangs in the center above the large, wooden coffee table. The large, thin flat-screen television is planted on the wall in front of the longer of the two couches, which are painted a creamy off-white. _This room probably costs more than my entire house,_ she thinks.

     Harry gently places the girl on the couch, leaning her back against the throw pillows. She automatically sinks into the expensive sofa cushion. “Comfortable?” Adeline meekly nods at Harry. Her exhaustion reaches its peak when the tall man wraps her in a fuzzy, peach colored blanket. He flips on the television to a toddler channel. Adeline knows no difference between the children's channel and any other channel, considering she is hardly ever able to watch television. The bright colors and happy characters instantly mesmerize her.

     Through droopy eyes, she watches the show attentively, and barely notices Louis coming into the room with an ice pack and a sippy cup. The men had decided that they would allow her to use toddler items at first and gradually ease her into baby items. “Here you go, baby,” Louis says gently, anticipating her reaction to the toddler object. Adeline reaches out to take the cup cautiously. “It's water,” Louis reassures when she eyes it wearily. She is rather thirsty, but what if they've done something to it? Adeline hesitates. “It's alright. I promise, darling.” She bites her lip and takes a small sip of it. It tastes like normal ice water, and refreshes her hot throat. Adeline looks at the sippy cup. She has never seen a cup like this, but she is sure it is another small-children's item based on her discovery upon waking. At the moment, Adeline really doesn't mind either way, eagerly drinking more of the cool liquid.

     When she looks up, Louis and the man who she still does not know the name of are giving her adoring smiles. Adeline flickers her eyes to the side uncomfortably. “Here, let me put this on your ankle now, babe,” Louis says, noting her unease. He positions the ice pack on her swollen joint, laying it on top of the blanket rather than her bare skin so as not to make the area too cold. The chilliness of the pack helps slightly, making the throbbing dull a bit. “Does that feel a bit better?” Adeline nods in response. “Okay, good” Louis’ eyes crinkle as he smiles at her again.

     Louis and Harry then sit on opposite sides of Adeline, being sure to maintain a little distance so they don't frighten or overwhelm her. The little girl feels so tired. Her eyelids are drooping and they linger in place whenever she blinks, feeling like heavy weights to lift. However, she refuses to sleep, not wanting to leave herself in such a vulnerable state in front of these strange men. But she just feels so _warm_ and _cozy_.

     They both notice her tiredness and give each other knowing looks. “We know you're tired, angel. You don't have to be scared,” Harry comforts her, stroking her silky hair lightly. Adeline would have flinched away, but she's so tired that she barely acknowledges the action. She can easily tell that the man is much more physically demonstrative than Louis.

     “We would _never_ hurt you, love,” Louis adds, reassuringly. Adeline blinks sleepily, glancing into Louis’ sincere blue eyes and then Harry's green ones. They seem genuine. At least for the moment. Adeline is having a hard time arguing against it in her beat state. As she has been doing, her head moves up and down lightly in confirmation, ultimately. “Good girl,” Louis smiles down at her. Then, Adeline finally lets her eyes fall shut, descending into a sound sleep, her last thought being what she will face when she awakens.


	4. Chapter 3 - The Others

When the other three boys came home, they of course knew of the new member that would occupy their household, but when they actually saw her, everything felt so surreal. The dainty little face that they had all come to know and adore was suddenly right in front of them and she was more perfect than any of them could have ever imagined.

The men were met with the most adorable sight- fragile little Adeline's small frame was curled into itself on the sofa, taking up merely one cushion. The blanket covered the entirety of her, except for her smooth and stress-free face. The young girl always seemed to have some sign of woe upon her features, a creased brow or a mouth pulled into a frown or a lip being worried between her teeth, so it was sort of refreshing to see her so innocently vulnerable and at peace. Little hands fisted the fuzzy material of the blanket. Harry and Louis had had half the mind to pop a pacifier into their little one's mouth, but refrained, not wanting to wake up and inundate the poor baby.

They now all sat in the living room, seated on the various furniture pieces, a movie quietly playing whilst they waited for Adeline to wake. When Louis and Harry had explained her distressed state after waking up in her brand new home, none of the men had the heart to leave the poor girl alone in the foreign room. Every small movement or little mewl that Adeline emitted caused the men to watch her furtively and cautiously, wanting to be positive that their little one was alright.

About three-fourths of the way through the movie, drowsy, incoherent mumbles are barely heard by the business men. Their attention is immediately drawn to the small girl who brings her closed fist up to rub her eye in a childlike manner. One of the boys quickly pauses the movie, ceasing the quiet background chatter. Soon after, her eyelashes flutter against the tops of her smooth cheeks as she bats her beautiful blue eyes open. Clearly unaccustomed to the sudden light, she squints before resting her eyes again and rubbing them once more.

Finally, she brings her eyes to stay open, glancing around from her snuggled up position. They all watch in earnest at the signs of distress beginning to arise already. Adeline's dark brows corrugate, her brain churning and swirling, making an effort to accumulate memories from before her nap. She counts all of the grown men in the room: Louis.. the curly haired one.. another man.. a fourth.. a fifth.. Suddenly, Adeline is overwhelmed again.  _ Who are all of these people? _

They stare at her warily as she tries to recuperate. All are aware that the small girl will be feeling extra disoriented due to the drugs that they had given her in her soda. 

       Adeline abruptly shoots up from her position and immediately regrets it. Her head throbs incessantly, the sharp pain resulting in her hand flying up to grip her hair tightly, clenching her jaw and eyes shut.

     "Are you alright, sweetheart?" Harry, who is still seated next to Adeline, reaches out to gently put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Her eyes snap open and she jerks away.

"P-please don't touch me," Adeline whimpers helplessly. Harry's eyes instinctively sadden. Of course, he knows that she is scared and couldn't possibly already be comfortable with the boys and him, but the faint twinge of hurt surfaces regardless. Adeline sees his facial expression and immediately feels guilty; it's just her natural instinct being the sweet, innocent person that she is. She knows that it's not practical considering these are the people that took her from everything she knows: her home, her school, her grandmother..  _ everything _ . "I'm-" She cuts herself off before the apology has the opportunity to slip out.

_This is one of your kidnappers, Adeline; what are you doing?_ The more pragmatic part of her scolds. _But_.. _he just looks so_ _hurt.. And_ ** _I'm_** _the cause of it.._

Certainly, this man probably doesn't deserve any empathy from her, but Adeline can't help it. Never does she want to hurt anyone- or even any _ thing _ . Yet, her logic overrides her emotions (a somewhat rare occurrence for the sensitive young girl). She decides that she will not apologize, yet the guilt that swells up inside of her refuses to let up.

The concerned frowns on all of the boys' faces due to Adeline's discomfort are evidence enough that they care dearly about her. The girl innately draws her limbs towards herself, actively wishing to curl up into a small ball and make herself unseen. Though, when her right leg barely budges from its original placement on the couch, a throbbing jolt flashes through the entirety of her lower limb. Her cherry lips breathe out a whimpering gasp and her delicate hands shoot out to cradle the aching joint.

The men all jump out of their seats nearly simultaneously, ready to leap into action. This only makes Adeline look at all of their looming figures in fear. All of their protective sides take over, wanting awfully so to ease their tenuous, minute girl of any discomfort that she may be experiencing. Louis, being right beside her, offers his help immediately; "Here, darling," he starts, picking up the ice pack that had slipped off earlier, "how about we put this back on? That'll make it feel lots better, babe. I promise. And it'll help the swelling go down a bit. Just stretch your leg out so I can put it on there." Reluctantly, Adeline does so, her form staying tense with fear. "There we are. Good girl," Louis warmly tells as he re-drapes the soft blanket over her ankle and places the pack down.

     "How's that? A little more comfortable?" He asks the teenager.

"Yes, mister. Still hurts, though," she barely whispers back. All of the boys frown lightly.

"I'll get some Advil," Liam announces, causing Adeline to inspect him for the first time. The calming voice is matched with a kind and gentle face. He has brown puppy dog eyes that seem to melt warmly around his pupils, and a bit of a beard beginning to spring up. His light brown hair is swept up into a soft quiff. Contrasting the kindhearted face, the man's tall physique is rather muscular underneath his long sleeved, denim button up and dark jeans.

In fact, now that she thinks about it, Adeline realizes all of the men are fairly tall (at least compared to her meager five feet) and fit, too. Although she doesn't want to admit it, or even have it on her mind, they really are all quite handsome, as well. However, her tummy churns just thinking about the people who snatched her from her home in that way; Adeline feels a vague inkling that she is going to be sick. She swiftly removes the thought from her brain. 

      Instead of thinking of their strong, towering bodies as appealing traits, she thinks of how easily she could be overpowered. If- or more precisely,  _ when _ \- they decide to harm the young girl, she will stand no chance. It would be the equivalent of a tiny lamb trying to fight off a wolf- actually,  _ five _ wolves. A tremor ricochets down her spine.

Liam leaves the room, grabbing the half-empty sippy cup from earlier beforehand. The young girl pays no mind and instead somehow shrinks even more into her seat with the previous thoughts still on her mind. Tears spring to her cobalt blue eyes at the thought of them all turning on her; she is positive that this will eventually happen. Seeing her newly found distress, Harry sits back down in his seat beside Adeline slowly, as if cautiously approaching a doe so as not to startle it. He has to remind himself to keep his distance and remain minimal in the use of his tactile sense.

"Y'Okay, baby?" She looks up at him, clutching the blanket hard to hide the severe shaking of her small hands; despite her efforts, the entirety of her skinny body trembles.The poor damsel is comparable to a single leaf of a tree, summer breeze flowing and causing it to rattle incessantly in its place. Before Adeline has the chance to respond (not that she was going to), Liam reenters the living room with two light blue pills and the same sippy cup, this time filled with some sort of red liquid. Adeline can't deny that her curiosity is spiked, but also, naturally, uneasiness is right alongside it.

"Here, darling. Do you like juice?" Liam walks the short distance to the furniture piece she's on and scooches past Louis to hand her the fruit punch and pain killers. Adeline nods and cautiously retrieves the fairy cup when Liam holds it out to her. She hears the ice cubes jostle around with the interaction; her quavering hands struggle to keep the container from continuing to make the same, disruptive sound. The chilly, wet plastic is felt against her already cold fingertips, causing her frame to shiver slightly in spite of the envelopment of the fuzzy blanket.

Adeline does not believe that now would be a time that the men would drug her again. They already have her, after all. If they really wanted to take advantage of her, they wouldn't need anything but their willpower and strength. Adeline's stomach does another petrified somersault.

      She disregards the two small blue tablets Liam still has in his awaiting hand for a moment, curious of the red liquid. She takes a prudent sip after staring at it dubiously. Her eyes instinctively widen at the flavor of the sugary liquid. A small hum can barely be caught by the men before she brings the sippy cup back up to her lips for another drink... and then another.. and yet another, until the beaker is halfway drained. They all chortle lightly. "Is it yummy? It's fruit punch," Liam smiles warmly down at her.

Adeline realizes what she's doing and her cheeks are instantly inflamed to couple with the ruby color of her plump lips. She must look like an absolute glutton. The familiar stern and hardly-maternal voice rings out in the young girl's brain to reprimand her, clashing against the walls of her skull and making Adeline feel utterly grotesque and ashamed of herself. 

_       Where are your manners, Adeline? You look like a pig! I know I taught you better, you worthless girl.  _

      Her mother's voice echoes through her head and Adeline cringes under the criticism. "I'm sorry," she whispers quietly to the voice, hoping to ease its wrath- but she never could in the past and will never be able to in the future. Even when Adeline's mother was alive, no amount of apologies could diminish the anger and disdain she felt towards her daughter. The small girl begins tugging on her earlobe, a nervous tick of hers. The voice continues to berate and insult her defenseless being and it's all she can seem to hear. "Please, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Adeline continues to whisper to herself over and over again in different variations of apologies, squeezing her eyes closed and rocking. All of the men look on, majorly concerned for their poor girl.

Liam takes a seat next to her unstable being at the same time Harry gently puts his hand on her upper back, rubbing circles there. "Hey, hey, hey," Liam shushes, looking away momentarily to set the forgotten pills on the coffee table, "look at me, Adeline." It seems as though she cannot hear him and Liam debates with himself for a moment before ultimately raising his hand to her face. His cautious movements don't seem to phase Adeline at all as his warm hand gently pulls her hand away from her ear and then cups her soft cheek.

    "Adeline, look at me," Liam repeats, easing her face towards his direction with his hand. "Can you open your eyes for me, Adeline?" His thumb strokes beneath her eye lightly and the little girl scrunches her brows as she tries to pull herself out of the dark, scary depths of her mind. Eventually, her dark ocean eyes slowly flutter open. 

      She is somewhat alarmed at the proximity of the man, and her eyes instantly flicker away, cheeks flooding with heat. Despite the gentle pressure Liam suddenly feels against his hand due to her haphazardly attempting to turn back, he does not pull away. Instead he tilts her head towards him a bit more as an encouragement to look him in the eyes. "Look at me, baby. It's okay," he reassures her softly.

Adeline does so hesitantly and instantly struggles to not look away once again. Liam can see the shame in her eyes and feels his face droop. "What's the matter, little one?" 

      Adeline clenches her eyes closed and shakes her head, successfully pulling away. She curls into herself once again. Her injured leg makes her position a bit awkward, staying sprawled out while the rest of her limbs are pulled to her. "M-mother said I should never eat or drink without asking first and saying please and thank you.. A-and that I should always do so in a polite and ladylike manner," Adeline squeaks out, fumbling with the soft blanket so she doesn't have to meet anyone's eyes.

"Hey," Liam says tenderly, hoping to get the attention of the discouraged girl. Adeline, however, keeps her vision downcast. "You did  _ nothing  _ wrong, baby. Please and thank yous are always very appreciated, but we understand that sometimes you forget or get excited, okay?" Again, Adeline has no response. Liam decides to let it go for now because it  _ is _ her first day here and he knows everything will take time. Considering the circumstances, so far Adeline has been very good- much better than the boys had assumed she would be, what with her anxiety. 

      Other caregivers had given horror stories of the first few days or weeks upon bringing their new littles home and the boys had prepared themselves for just about anything. Yet, so far they are all pleasantly surprised to find that Adeline is far from the most challenging new arrival to the lifestyle.

"Now here, little one. Take these and your ankle will start to feel a bit better." Liam holds the painkiller out to Adeline again after retrieving them from their place on the table. Sheepishly, Adeline barely looks up to see the blue pills and grasps them gingerly, avoiding any contact with Liam with all of her will.

"Thank you," comes her ghost of a whisper.

He smiles warmly down on her. "You're welcome, darling."

Adeline places the pills on her tongue and immediately her face contorts at the bitter vitamin-like taste. Quickly, her little hands bring her cup up and it washes away the taste and replaces it with the sweet, fruity refreshment. After doing so, Adeline is left not knowing what to do. The unease she feels at the moment cannot be matched by any other moment in her life. There are still so many questions and concerns running rampant in her mind. However, she is too frightened to voice them. She is outnumbered five to one right now, and if her questions make the men angry then there is no chance of the scenario ending well.

_I'll have to wait to escape_ , she thinks. Adeline knows that there will be a time when she's less vulnerable and the odds are more in her favor. Maybe if she can get them to leave her alone for a moment -or even if there's only one of the men with her- she can slip by them and find the way to the exit. She can utilize this time of healing to start sketching out the area and where possible exits may be.

The boys can see the wheels churning in the poor girl's head and misinterpret it. "I'm sure you're confused, sweetheart, and we're going to try our very best to explain everything to you," Liam says, looking around the room at everyone for their approval. All of them nod in return. Liam clears his throat quietly and looks back at the girl who still refuses to look up. "Well, first off, I'm Liam," he gestures to himself. Adeline sees the movement from her peripheral vision and finally looks at him. "That's Zayn, Niall, and Harry," he points at each of them and her eyes follow intently. He motions to Louis in a casual gesture, "and you already know Louis." Her eyes glance at Louis uneasily and quickly return to Liam.

Adeline automatically feels the most anguish towards the man as he was the instigator. The naive girl is so frightened that he had somehow made her feel completely safe within his presence, only to rip away her hopes of good intentions within a twenty-four hour time period. Adeline has never understood how people have the ability to blatantly lie and it truly scares her that someone can come off as a completely different person from whom they actually are.

Certainly, the young girl  _ could _ be called gullible, but saying so is not completely fair as the young girl's over-trusting nature is simply due to the everlasting and encompassing good in her heart. To Adeline, every person is worthy of kindness and she has a hard time seeing people for who they truly are sometimes. The men are aware of this trait and in no way believe that Adeline should be considered dumb or simple-minded, as her peers (and even her mother) had claimed on multiple occasions. Yet, her innocence and failure to think badly of people has proven to deal her into a few troublesome situations- something completely transparent now.

They are all candidly thankful that they managed to find Adeline before someone with ill intentions could take advantage of their innocent, little girl. Somehow, the protective men know that despite the torment that Adeline is going through in this scary situation, it will all have been for the best in the end. The reality is that the harsh world would swallow such a trusting and unguarded being alive; the men all understand that they are taking on the role of protecting Adeline from the brutality of society at all costs, and are honored to do so.

"Of course, you will be addressing us differently, but we'll talk about that later. Right now we just want to help clear everything up a bit because we never want you to feel scared or nervous around us, okay little one?" Adeline sucks her lip into her mouth and twiddles with her fingers as she evades his honest, brown eyes. "Adeline?" He prompts softly when she doesn't respond.

The movement of Adeline's head is jerky as she nods the response that they want, but she doesn't believe. She  _ knows _ that these men want Adeline to feel powerless and scared in their presence. Otherwise, why would they do such a thing? These are the kind of people that prey on the helpless- the kind that crave to harbor power, especially over a person.

All of the men frown a little when they see her still nervous nature. "I really mean it. We want the best for you. All we want to do is protect you and love you." 

      Adeline is baffled by this. She has never been loved before- by  _ anyone _ \- but she has enough knowledge to know that a person doesn't normally  _ kidnap  _ the person they love. They don't subject them to such a frightful and confusing situation. They don't simply see them on the street a few times and decide that this random stranger is someone that they care dearly about. That is not normal _ \- This is not normal _ , Adeline thinks to herself.

"B-but, why? W-why would you.. why would you t-take me? You can't love me. You don't even know me!" Her voice is meek and shaky, and Adeline feels as though her heart is going to explode at the rate it's racing.

Liam sighs and his eyes glance around at the other boys. "Adeline, try to calm down, angel. Let us explain everything to you, yeah?" Harry gently tries to ease her nerves. Adeline whimpers, looking down at her lap again. She fears that if she talks back again, these men will let their true colors show.

     Silence encompasses the air in the room, but all Adeline can hear is noise as her mind thinks itself into destruction. Liam tries to find the best way to uncover the information without agitating her.

"See, that's the thing, Adeline.. We  _ do _ know you. We know your favorite color is pink; we know you love singing and music; we know you have a sweet tooth, and we know you like to wear dresses but don't own any because they're not practical enough. Crowds make you nervous, kiwi is your favorite food.. we know everything, baby. The good and the bad. And we  _ do  _ love you. Every single one of us loves you more than you could ever comprehend, little one," Liam smiles a small, honest smile.

      Adeline's head had slowly risen as Liam listed everything off. Her jaw was dropped open slightly, eyebrows knitted together. 

      Everything he had said was accurate. Some of the things were just mindless thoughts she had thought to herself; she had never really told anybody about these things, as nobody really cared to listen.

"H-how do you know all that? I don't even know you! I want to go home! Please.. let me go home," Adeline cries in desperation. Sobs wrack through her little figure, air fighting to compete with the displays of emotion and make it into her lungs. Adeline cannot seem to make herself calm down. Her entire being shakes and her heart pounds in her chest at an alarming rate. "I-I-I don't bel-long here! My grandmother needs me! P-please!" The tireless weeping breaks up her words, similarly to her thoughts, breaking her composure.

Liam quickly brings the girl to his chest, cautious of her injury. Adeline instantly brings her hands up to try to push him away. Her feeble hands find their way to his firm chest, weakly pressing them against him. Liam's grip doesn't falter however, but he makes sure to keep his embrace gentle. "Shhh, shhh, shhh.. I know. Just let it out."

Adeline thrashes around in his arms. The boys just look on in sympathy. They all know this is an effort to wear the girl out so they can actually explain things without her becoming too manic. "I-I have to g-go! This is wrong! You can't k-keep me here!" 

      As much as her frightened pleading breaks their hearts, they know they must stay strong.

Adeline continues to squirm and do everything in her power to escape Liam's powerful hold, but she is feeble in comparison to him. She eventually exhausts herself, reduced to dry sobs and a limp form. Liam rocks her tenderly, rubbing up and down her back in long, smooth strokes. He continually mutters soft words of comfort under his breath. Adeline is soon breathing normally again and lets her head fall to Liam's chest in defeat, closing her eyes. "There we go. Good girl, baby. Just relax." Adeline is anything but relaxed, an overcoming feeling of being incapacitated instead taking over her.

"Do you think you can try to listen to us now?" Liam inquires lightly. Adeline doesn't respond, staying slack against his strong build. "Adeline?" He asks again, this time with a stern underlining. Adeline's heart flitters at the tone and, consequently, she is quick to agree this time.

 

         “Okay, baby. Let’s start with the rules.”


	5. Chapter 4 - Our World

    Adeline's eyes widen.  _ Rules?  _ She wants to ask.  _ Rules for what?  _

    But she keeps her mouth shut. If Liam's stern undertone previously was any indicator, Adeline knows she does not want to push these men any further than she already has today. 

    Thoughts race around at a mile a minute in Adeline’s brain.  _ This is the part where it gets worse. This is the part where they show what monsters they really are- why they  _ truly _ kidnapped her,  _ she realizes. All she can think about is what ‘rules’ they will come up with to further take away her freedom- to further ensure that she knows her place as a kidnappee. She will have no choice against the terrible things that they will want to do with her.

    Her exhausted limbs feel heavy as she moves her arms to Liam's chest once again. This time she nudges him lightly in a questioning sort of way, knowing that what little strength she possesses is nothing in comparison to his sturdy build. Instead the exasperated girl hopes he will show some pity and release her from his envelopment. At first, Liam only slightly loosens his hold. However, after deciding that it would be better if they could look into her pretty blue eyes while they explain, he releases her completely. She cautiously retracts back into the couch again, peeking at him over her knee.

    When Liam is sure that he has her attention, he begins speaking. “We are going to write down all of the rules so that you can refer to them later, but for now we just want you to know the basics.” Adeline is nervous to hear more.  _ How many rules are there? And what do they entail? _

__ “Yes, and don’t be intimidated by the rules, angel. They’re only there to keep everybody safe and happy. Even your da.. Even we have rules to follow,” Harry adds lightly, smiling at her gently. He barely manages to stop himself short of his original words and mentally pats himself on the back.

    “That’s right,” Liam nods and smiles along with Harry’s words. “Now, the most important rule we have is that you respect us and trust us, and in turn, we'll do the same to you. That means no no-no words, no violence- none of that sort of thing. Alright?” Liam really doesn’t expect Adeline to be the type to rebuttal with any form of hostility but he recognizes that every little is different, and scary situations can bring out the most unexpected characteristics of a person. 

    Adeline nods again, yet she is still unsure how they can expect her to trust them and respect them when they physically broke a law and snatched the young girl from the streets.

    “Use your words, little one,” Liam reprimands lightly. He wants to make sure Adeline is really listening and comprehending what he is saying. 

    “Alright,” she complies in a soft, broken voice, “I understand.”

    Liam’s heart stings at the tone. He reminds himself that she will get better and more comfortable with them over time. He continues. “The second most important rule is to always tell us when you are uncomfortable or if you don’t feel right about something. Our number one priority is to make sure you’re safe and healthy and we can’t ensure that if you don’t tell us what’s on your mind. You should always ask us for help if you’re unsure of something.”

    Adeline desperately wants to shout at him, “ _ I  _ am _ uncomfortable and I don’t feel right about  _ this _!”  _ But she keeps her lips sealed and instead closes her eyes and sighs. This all must be a nightmare. There is no way it is really happening to her right now. When she reopens them, all of the men, the fancy house, the scary concepts, and the anxiety and fear will be gone. She’ll be in her home: the opulent white couch will be replaced by her paper-thin mattress; a ragged, thin old blanket instead of the soft, peachy one; the inappropriate onesie switched with her shabby, worn-out clothing. 

 

But to no avail.

 

    When she opens her squeezed-shut eyes, she is in the same, deceivingly horrid place. The men are all loosely scattered about the room, looking at her with those welcoming faces and gentle eyes. It frustrates the young girl greatly and she wishes they would just come out with their real intentions already, while at the same time wishing to prolong it for as long as possible.

    “The next rule is to keep yourself out of danger. We always want you safe, and we can’t always do that without your help. So, no using the stairs by yourself, no running in the house, no wandering off outside of the house without one of us with you, always be within eyesight unless you ask us first- things like that. And as I said before, if you aren’t sure about something, ask us. We will answer any of your questions without judgment. Okay? There is no judgement in this house.” 

    These sound like rules that a child might have. Adeline feels trapped and embarrassed. She can do all of these things perfectly fine, without harm. She is not a child. Sure, sometimes she may feel a little frightened and anxious when she does some of the things that adults normally do in their daily lives, but it certainly doesn’t mean she is incapable. She needs to get out of here. She is certain that this is not even the worst of it.

    “And there’s one last rule I want to go over today that is  _ super _ important, so make sure you  _ really  _ pay attention. Alright?” Liam emphasizes with a deadly serious look on his face.The pulse in her ears increases drastically and she witnesses her fingers twirling around and gripping onto each other without her permission. 

    The view of the little girl’s attentive, wide, ocean-colored eyes looking up at Liam whilst cuddled in a blankie makes the men feel warmth within their hearts. She looks so innocent- well, she  _ always _ appears that way. She  _ is  _ innocent. Adeline is purer than anything in the entire world to these men. They feel that they must preserve her purity and give her a secure place to blossom and be herself. The teenager has not deserved any of the horrible things that she has went through in her short lifetime.

    “One of the most _ important  _ rules out of  _ all  _ of the rules on the  _ entire _ list is... to have fun!” Liam finally exclaims. He throws his arms in the air in an over-dramatic gesture and smiles vibrantly at her. It is the same extravagant behavior one might expect a person to enact towards a baby or toddler.

    Adeline frowns. Is he serious? This must be some kind of sick joke that she missed the punchline to. 

    “We’re aware that it might be a bit difficult to relax at the moment, but all we ask of you is to have an open mind. Don’t be frightened of us, baby. We would never hurt you. We want you to be safe and happy. All of us truly think that if you just let yourself relax and trust us you _can_ enjoy yourself here.” 

    Adeline furrows her brows. She is bewildered beyond belief.  _ What  _ is _ this? What do these men want from me? They are beating around the bush about something. I can tell. It would be more humane of them to just inform me of their actual intentions and end the onslaught of possible outcomes currently bonking around in my mind before my head blows off! Just put me out of my misery already,  _ she thinks.

    Liam notices the girl’s facial expression immediately. “What’s the matter? You can ask us anything. Don’t be afraid.” He has a complete change of voice in response to the demonstration by her features. 

    In an attempt to gather her thoughts, Adeline blinks a few times quickly in succession. The motion causes her long lashes to flutter adorably. “I.. Wh-what am I.. Why am I here? Wh-why did you take me? I shouldn’t be here..” She mumbles absently. 

    Liam sighs and looks around at everyone, clasping his hands together and taking a seat on the edge of the couch adjacent to the one Adeline is perched on. He is not sure what the best approach is to their explanation. They had talked about how to handle the situation when the time came, but things are different in real time. “Well, you see... sometimes..” Liam wanders off before he gets a grip on himself and starts again. He needs to be sure in what he says. Adeline deserves the truth. It is crucial that she knows that they are serious and that they are informed about what they are talking about. They are ready. This is not just some spontaneous outburst or crazy idea that they carried out on-the-spot. They have been discussing and planning for months and Liam recalls this and begins speaking with renewed assurity. 

    “Sometimes, in life, people do crazy things out of love.. When someone loves a person, it hurts them to see that person in pain. They would do  _ anything _ to take that pain away. Even if it meant potentially putting everything they had on the line. Because all that really matters to them is the wellbeing of that person.. So that’s why we brought you here. We brought you here out of love, and I know that it’s hard to believe, but we do all love you, Adeline- with all our hearts.” His words are dripping with honesty. Even Adeline cannot mistake that.

    “We want to take your pain away. We saw the way you were living, the hardships you had to face each day. Nobody deserves to live that way. Especially not you. You are an angel on this earth, little Adeline. We all knew that we had to get you out of there. You deserve  _ so much more _ . You deserve to be happy and carefree and  _ safe _ . You deserve the entire world, baby. And if we could, we would give it to you. And even though maybe we can’t give you the world, we’re going to try our absolute best to give you the life you deserve. Because you are  _ our  _ world.”

    The sincerity in all five pairs of eyes around the room is spine-tingling. Adeline searches all of the faces around the space in an attempt to find any traces of a lie, but she finds none. She is still wary, but Liam’s speech makes her doubt some of her terrorizing thoughts. So far, the men have not deliberately done anything to hurt her, and maybe their intention actually isn’t to hurt her. However, this situation is still not okay or even remotely sane. There is something deeper behind this, she knows, yet Adeline feels the slightest bit more at ease. 

    “B-b-but, how? What about my grandmother? And school? A-and what is all this?” She gestures down to her unusual outfit. “The crib, the stuffed animals- everything? What are you even getting out of this? Wh-what do I have to do in return?” Adeline rambles, not looking at anyone in particular. Only a few of the distraughtly delivered words can be picked up by the men.

    “-Woah, woah, woah. Slow down, little one. One question at a time, hmm?” Harry’s deep voice cuts off her fast-paced list of her inventory of concerns.

    “Ok-kay. Sorry.” Adeline purses her lips and brings her fingers to her earlobe again, trying to prioritize the questions in her head. 

    “That’s alright,” Harry reassures, lightly and slowly pulling her hand away, “We know you must have a million things going on up there at the moment, angel.” He gestures to his head with a small smile that just barely brings out his dimples. 

    Adeline looks at him for a moment before quickly flicking her eyes away. They all appear so  _ normal _ \- handsome, even. Definitely not the type Adeline could ever picture committing such an act as this. “I-I have a grandmother. She’s bedridden and has alzheimer’s. She-she can’t take care of herself. She needs me.” Of course, it comes as no surprise to the boys that Adeline’s number one priority has nothing to do with her own safety or wellbeing, but rather of another person’s. It is exactly the reason why they feel Adeline needs help and guidance in this world. It’s not that being selfless isn’t a wonderful and rare trait for a person to have, but there are times when a person has to look out for their own self. 

    “Don’t worry. We already took care of that. Right now, your grandma is in the best nursing home we could find. They are taking great care of her there and she is in the most comfortable state she can be in,” Liam chimes in again.

    Adeline feels a weight drop from her shoulders. The men could be lying, but with everything they are saying, she is finding it hard to doubt them. Plus, based on the beautiful house they are living in, they definitely have the money to pay for such a thing. But why? Why would they do that for a simple teenage girl? What are they expecting from her in return? She voices her thoughts in a single question, “Why are you doing this?” 

    Harry sighs lightly from beside her. This is going to be a long road to acceptance, but he is willing to walk it to the end, as is everyone else in the room, hopefully not excluding Adeline. “We told you, baby. We love you and care about you. We want what’s best for you. That’s all. All we want in return is your trust and a chance. Right everyone?” Harry asks the men. They all nod their heads in return. 

 

Adeline doesn’t understand.

 

    She huffs quietly to herself, but moves on to the next question, nonetheless. She is most nervous to ask this one. Not really sure if she wants the answer, she gives herself a mental push and allows the words to tumble from her cherry lips. “Why am I wearing this?” Her cheeks burn bright red as her little hands motion once again to the soft, pastel onesie she is adorned in. “What are you really trying to do here?” Her voice is meek but Adeline is proud of herself for getting the words out without fault.

 

_ This is it-  _ all of the boys think-  _ The moment of truth.  _

 

    Liam, being the spokesman of the day, begins to explain. “Little one, have you ever heard of something called ageplay?” None of them expect the small girl to know what he is talking about when he asks the question. As predicted, she shakes her head, a bit skeptical. “Right.. so.. ageplay is basically when a person acts as though they are a different age than they really are.” He tries to keep it basic so that Adeline can comprehend all of the new bucket-loads of information.

“Many people participate in ageplay as a form of comfort. Some of these people have someone they know act as the opposing role. For instance, a woman may act as a little girl and a man may act as her caregiver.. I know that may sound a little strange, but lots of people find comfort in giving up daily responsibilities and control and allowing someone they trust to watch over them and care for them. Now, keep in mind that not everybody does this in the same way. There are some things that work for some people that may not work for others. And that’s okay. The important thing in these relationships is to trust one another and to be honest with each other. There needs to be set rules, no judgement, open minds, and understanding so that everyone is safe and comfortable. Do you understand what I’m saying so far, sweetheart?” 

    Adeline does not answer. Her mind is reeling. Her tummy has dropped down to her toes. She feels like she is sinking. This is wrong. All of the children’s items make perfect sense now. They expect her to act like a baby, and to let them ‘take care of her’. There is absolutely no way! There is something seriously wrong with these people, if it wasn’t obvious enough before. She is not a child! Just because she sometimes finds difficulty in fulfilling her responsibilities does not mean that she can’t or that she needs to be taken care of.

    “Tell us what’s going through your head right now, baby,” Liam gently requests. 

    “I can take care of myself!” Adeline blurts. “I’m not a baby!” Her cheeks burn with sheer mortification. Her eyes gloss over with tears and Adeline desperately wills them away.  _ Don’t you  _ dare  _ cry like a little baby,  _ her mother’s voice pierces through her head. 

    “Of course you can take care of yourself, darling. We all know that. But you shouldn’t have to. You should be able to relax and let the adults worry about the scary, grownup stuff,” Louis coaxes, his voice remaining tender in an attempt to keep the situation calm. 

    “No!” Adeline cries out, shaking her head feverishly. “I can do it. I don’t need this! I-I don’t need you!”

    Harry snakes his strong arms around her from the side, her torso turning towards him in consequence to the motion. He holds her in place mildly. “Calm down, baby. You’re okay. You’re safe.. Just calm down so we can talk about this. Try not to get yourself so worked up.” 

    Adeline struggles a bit, but knows this time around that it is no use. Besides that, there is hardly even enough energy in her little body to keep her sitting up. Again, her body falls slack. She is swarmed with defeat when she feels her warm tears pooling against her face that is smooshed against Harry’s chest. Her mother chimes in, as if matters could possibly get any worse.  _ Shame on you, you little crybaby,  _ she hisses. 

    Although Adeline forces herself to keep quiet, Harry feels the liquid seeping through the material of his top and the slight trembling that erupts through her frame every so often. Keeping one arm firm around her, he uses the other to gently stroke through her long hair. Adeline feels her eyes sagging in response and allows them to shut, despite herself. She does not notice her actions, though all of the men certainly do, as Adeline’s limp hands bring themselves to crumple the material of the bottom of Harry’s shirt between her tiny digits. The small, involuntary action is enough to replenish all of the men’s hope.

 

This  _ will _ work.


	6. Chapter 5 - Progress

    Adeline is unsure of the amount of time that passes, but she finds herself unwilling to move from her position in the strange man’s arms. She feels warm and oddly safe, but writes it off as exhaustion making her act in this unusual manner. She is not sure when her tears eventually stopped but she is pleased that they did. She has made herself look weak enough in front of these men already. 

    However, Adeline is aware that she cannot merely put up a tough act; she cannot simply pretend to be something she is not and hope to make it through. She never has, and she’ll never be able to. She is frightened and confused. She does not have it within herself to pull through this situation logically and seamlessly and without a shred of weakness or uncertainty. The tears keep breaking through her and the fear continues to culminate no matter how hard she tries. Her entire body feels drained. So, for now she allows herself to seek comfort in this stranger's arms and to try not to think about the current situation, despite, ironically, being metaphorically and physically wrapped up in it.

    Harry feels as though they are making immense progress and feels happiness welling up inside. However, he finds that he is in quite an uncomfortable position, his torso turned in an awkward way on the couch. Moving Adeline to rest on his lap would solve the issue but he does not want to unnerve the poor girl or break her out of her current harmonious state. Although his thoughts are purely innocent, he does not believe that Adeline herself knows that yet. Yet, based on the body language the young girl portrays and the passage of time so far in his hold, Harry and the rest of the people in the room can gather that Adeline is finding a sense of comfort within the position. Analyzing all of the possible scenarios that could ensue following the action, Harry decides that he is willing to take the risk.

    With gentle, unhurried movements, Harry brings Adeline around to his lap to cradle her like a small child, conscious of her injury. She whimpers a little and stuffs her face further into his shirt, but other than that shows no signs of disagreement. “Shhh, sweetheart, you’re okay.” 

    He wraps the blanket snugly around her again. Adeline is soothed by the warmth and steady movement of Harry’s hand down her back. After a little bit of silence to allow her to adjust, Harry speaks to her quietly. “Would you like to watch some cartoons, baby?” Adeline thinks back to the cute puppies that earlier occupied the screen and shifts a little in interest. She fiddles with Harry’s shirt.

    “Puppies?” She questions quietly, peeking up at him slightly to find his green gaze already watching her. 

    “You want to watch the puppy show again?” 

    The shy girl flickers her vision down to where her fingers play with the material of his top, avoiding eye contact, and nods a little. “Yes please.”

    “Okay, sweetheart,” Harry smiles and nods to Liam to turn the cartoons on. He, along with the rest of the men in the room, feels proud of every little bit of progress that Adeline shows. Given the current terms, she is doing surprisingly well and still manages to be a wholly sweet and pure person even in such a state of distress. 

    Luckily, the show from earlier is still playing and they make a mental note to record a few episodes for later on. Adeline keeps her head on Harry’s chest as she watches the show at an angle. Eventually her eyes get tired from straining to see the screen and she closes her eyes and just listens to the peppy voices trying to save the world and the steady beating of Harry’s heart. An odd feeling of contentment washes over her and Adeline has some strange thoughts due to a temporary lapse in judgment:  _ What if they really do want to care for me and protect me and maybe aren’t so bad, after all? Maybe they’re actually good people that maybe did something not so good out of pure desperation to better someone’s life and provide safety to them. Maybe they really  _ do _ love me.  _

    Adeline shakes her head to herself, snapping out of her strange state of sedation. Harry feels the movement and looks down at the girl curiously. He strokes his hand from the roots of her soft hair all the way down to the tips before lifting her chin to look at him. “You okay?” He asks softly, looking into her timid eyes. She shakes her head the slightest bit, unable to hide her raw emotions. “Why not?” He runs his thumb over her cheekbone. “What’s wrong?” She drops her head to his chest frustratedly with a thump. 

 

_ What  _ isn’t  _ wrong? _

 

__ “Tell me what you’re feeling. Talk to us, baby.”

    “Don’t wanna be here,” she mutters angrily into his shirt. Harry can’t make out the mumbles. 

    “Little girl, look at me when I’m talking to you please.” She obeys, her beautiful blue eyes flickering up to peer through her lashes. “You need to tell us what you’re thinking and ask us questions you have..  _ Communicate _ with us so we can try to help you feel better.” 

    Adeline feels more stress welling up within her. She has never been very skilled in the communication area. All of her thoughts seem to be jumbled into a muddle of anxiety and she doesn’t think she can sum it up into functional words. “I don’t want to be here,” she repeats. 

    “Can you tell us why?”

    She has about a million reasons why but she can’t get anything straight in her head. The amount of thoughts swarming around her brain is overwhelming. She scrunches her eyebrows in absolute aggravation. “I-I..I just don’t want to be here.” All of the people in the room can hear the frustration seeping through her words. She tugs at her earlobe harshly due to her struggle to communicate. This is definitely not the first time that Adeline has been annoyed with herself at not being able to express her thoughts.

    “No, no,” Harry reprimands softly, pulling her hand away. “Just calm down and gather your thoughts. There’s no need for rush here. We can wait for as long as you need,” Harry reassures with a small smile. Over time, the men would like to get Adeline to a point where she does not panic over small things and allows herself time and room to think about situations logically. ‍It is something that the teenager has developed over a lifetime of rush and pressure; thus, it will not be reversed easily. 

    Adeline huffs quietly and grips onto the end of her soft sleeve, pulling it over her other hand and fiddling with it fitfully to keep her busy. She takes a steadying breath through her nostrils and wills her thoughts to slow down and present themselves one at a time rather than attacking all at once. 

    After a few minutes of silence and concentration on Adeline’s part, she at last has a tangible thought. “It’s just.. W-Wouldn’t it be easier to have a-a..” she racks her brain for the appropriate wording, “um a..  _ relationship _ ..” the unsure girl eventually settles on. She cannot think of a better term for the situation they speak of and wonders briefly if that is what it would be considered. The thought makes her stomach do somersaults, “with someone actually willing to participate in this..” The word hesitates on the tip of Adeline’s tongue. It feels wrong and abhorrent even to speak about the concept. “This, um…  _ ageplay  _ thing?” The foreign word leaves her lips in a distasteful manner. For some reason, even the term itself sets her cheeks aflame. She looks down even further, allowing curtains of long hair to conceal her burning face. 

    The men chuckle a bit at her reaction. She scowls a little towards her lap. Her face is back to normal when Harry angles her to look at him again, though. “It’s not a bad word, angel. Ageplay is a release for lots of people and there’s no need to feel ashamed or negative about it. But, yes, maybe you’re right. Maybe it would be easier to find someone else who already knows that they enjoy ageplay. But, we don’t want someone else. We want you, sweetheart. We want to save you and let you escape from all of the bad things in your life. We want you to finally have the life you deserve, Adeline. Don’t you want to be safe and have the freedom to be happy.. To not have to worry about so much all the time? Hm?”

    The frown on Adeline’s lips is one of ponder. Of course it sounds nice. Wouldn’t any person dream of having no stress in their life? Yet, the circumstances are all wrong. Adeline know that. So why is she feeling so conflicted?  _ There’s nothing to debate about, Adeline. You can’t stay here with these strangers. They could be lying about everything they’ve said. They could be dangerous.  _ The rational side of her tries to create reason within her. Still, her naivety and trustful side desperately want to shine through. “W-well, yes, but-“

    “No buts. Let us help you. Let us handle all of the scary adult stuff. Trust us. You can have all you could ever need or want, little one. We will never,  _ ever _ , let harm come to you in any way if we can help it, okay? I promise.”

    “How do I know I can trust you?”

    Harry hesitates, eyes flickering to everyone else. “Well, I suppose you’ll just have to let us show you, sweetheart,” he mutters, looking into her eyes again. Adeline blushes at the eye contact, burying her face into Harry’s neck. His dimples show as he looks at everyone in the room, a happy glint to his eyes. The men all seem just as pleased that Adeline is already seeking comfort in him. “Do you think you can do that?” He asks, resuming the comforting stroke of his open palm up and down her back. 

    The bumps along her spine poke out a bit too much for Harry’s liking. Adeline has a petite frame in general, but the malnourishment creates an even more apparent minuteness. The tininess of her body continuously astonishes them, the expanse of Harry’s hand almost stretching across the entire width of her back. It is a constant reminder of why the men decided to take on caring for Adeline in the first place. In their house, things like hunger or not being able to afford practical clothing will never have to be a problem for the girl and they can only hope she will agree or eventually come to terms with the arrangement.

    Adeline is feeling very conflicted. She doesn’t want to lock herself into any sort of verbal contract. She knows that even if she does agree, the men will carry out with whatever they originally planned, anyways. And, confusingly, Adeline doesn’t know why there even is an ‘ _ if she does _ ’ component to consider in the first place. She should be completely opposed to anything that they propose. She should be screaming and yelling and crying and trying to get out. Of this, she is completely aware. But, she just can’t find it within herself.

    “I.. don’t know.” She looks at him for a moment before looking away again. 

    It is almost unbelievable to them that Adeline is already past the point of giving a straight no to the idea. While the men knew that Adeline was a docile girl, they certainly didn’t expect that anyone could possibly be so open to change in such a short amount of time. 

    “We’ll give you some time to decide,” Harry says, stroking her back again. They really don’t want to have to force her to participate in their plan, but if they have to, they will. They all decided before going into this that the most effective way to convince Adeline would probably be to make her think that she had as much say in the matter as possible.

    “Are you hungry, love?” Liam questions from his place on the other couch. Adeline hadn’t even thought about it, but now she realizes just how famished she really is. In reality, she hardly had the fuel needed for all of the extra commotion and running around. Her hungry and exhausted body is paying for it now. 

    She brings her fist up to rub her eye again and nods her head, dropping it back into the crook of Harry’s neck. “Well, we’ll just have to fix that then, won’t we?” Liam smiles before excusing himself from the room to go make a late lunch for everyone. 

    The room falls quiet again and Adeline enjoys the feeling of Harry’s hand drawing random patterns on her back and the sound of the television quietly playing in the background. Soon, a delectable scent wafts through the air, and the entire room hears as Adeline’s stomach growls loudly. Adeline blushes and digs her face further into Harry’s neck, apologizing. “No need to apologize,” a new voice from somewhere in the room reassures. Adeline doesn’t look to see who it is, still feeling embarrassed about the noise. 

    “When did you last eat, baby?” Harry murmurs to the small girl worriedly. 

    Adeline thinks for a brief moment, bringing her head up slightly and knitting her brows together. “Lunch. Yesterday,” she remembers, glancing at Harry’s concerned gaze for a moment before looking down. It wasn’t unusual for her to only eat one meal a day, sometimes less, but of course it always left her tummy rumbling. Luckily, on weekdays, she was always guaranteed a free meal from the school- a simple sandwich with a water and a side, but a meal, nonetheless. When there were leftovers from what she could afford for her grandmother, Adeline ate some of that, as well, but it was never much and always fairly simple, cheap foods. 

    Harry sighs at the answer, a deep frown now set on his face. He brings his hand to the side of Adeline’s head and tucks it back into the crook of his neck, hugging her to him. He is just relieved that she will finally have people to look after her. Meanwhile, some in the room can’t help but feel angry. Angry that such a pure, beautiful soul could be left for such a horrible life. Angry that nobody had ever stood up for Adeline or watched over her. And angry that they were unable to save her sooner. 

    Shortly after, Liam announces that the food is ready. Everyone in the room stands, including Harry as he gently readjusts Adeline to rest on his hip. The blanket falls from her legs and the cool air can be felt against them. She really wishes she could stand on her own at the moment.  _ Maybe if you weren’t so simple-minded you would have thought about how you would land earlier and you wouldn’t have to rely on others to do things for you. Maybe you wouldn’t have even gotten yourself into this situation at all _ , her mother makes an appearance, yet again. Adeline frowns, knowing that she is right. 

    The girl is brought into a dining room that she can see is attached to the kitchen with a wide, open arch. The black appliances and countertops are glossy and beautiful. A few pots and pans sit steaming on the oven. The appetizing smell has increased tenfold. The dining room holds a large dining table, already set with cutlery and plates at five places. Her head tilts ever so slightly, puzzled.  _ Is somebody not eating?  _ She wonders. It is only when she scans the room a bit more that her eyes dreadfully land on a high chair near the table. The item, of course, is of a size suitable for a person of her age. A pink and white divided plate of food resides on the attached table instead of one of the porcelain plates at the dining table. The silverware handles also seem to share the pink pattern; she cannot see it fully from here. 

    Adeline immediately panics, attempting to stretch her legs out and get out of Harry’s hold. “No!” She cries. Harry’s arms are strong and don’t relent. “Please, I-I don’t want to sit in that. I can sit at a normal table. Please!” She begs, still squirming about. 

    “Adeline. Calm down,” Harry says with a stern undertone. “Just give it a chance, baby.” She looks up to him with doe eyes.

    “I don’t want to sit in that. Please, Harry,” her eyes are wide, pleading that he recognizes her sincerity. His heart twinges. It is so difficult to deny her. On another note, he quickly recognizes this as the first time she has addressed any of them outright. It could be a good sign. However, they need to introduce their preferred names as soon as possible to prevent Adeline creating a habit of calling them by their real names. 

    “Come on, sweetheart. You might end up liking it in the end. There’s no need to be embarrassed about trying new things,” he tells her. 

    Adeline is still reluctant, but as Harry starts to walk to the high chair, she does not protest. As he slides her in, she gives him one last pleading look. He ignores it, strapping her in for safety and sliding the table back in. “You can feed yourself this time,” Harry says before finally taking a seat at the dining table with everyone else. 

    The little girl finally looks down. The food looks and smells delicious, yet healthy. There are a variety of food groups on the tray. The silverware, now that she sees it up close, has little fairies on the handles, a recurring theme that she has seemed to notice so far. Adeline picks up the item by the underside and brings it closer to her eyes. She can’t help the smile that appears as she inspects the cute little winged-girls. When she looks up, she notices all of the eyes on her and blushes immediately, setting the fork back down and looking away. 

    “You like fairies, yeah?” The one with raven hair finally speaks and Adeline finds that she can’t seem to recall his name. She feels as though it would be impolite to ask. The bashful girl nods with a sheepish smile. She had liked the beautiful creatures even as a child. Sometimes, still, she even believes they are real, fluttering about, hiding from the eyes of humans. 

   As a child, Adeline remembers when she had heard children speaking about a ‘tooth fairy’ at school and hadn’t a clue what they were talking about. She had already lost a couple of baby teeth by then and, after asking her peers, realized that she had never had a visit of her own. She had not known to put the lost tooth under her pillow. The next time she lost one, she was overflowing with excitement.

    That night, Adeline placed the tooth under her pillow with utmost care and even wrote a note to apologize to the fairy for discarding her other teeth previously. However, when she woke the next day, nothing had changed. Adeline was utterly disappointed and quite confused. It never stopped her from attempting in the future, however, but no results ever came. She figured that the fairy had refused to accept her teeth due to her failure to deliver her first few. When a young Adeline had asked her mother if she herself had ever seen a fairy, the child was met with a cruel response and an obvious loathing to Adeline’s ‘ridiculously naive thoughts’. Somehow, though, Adeline’s hope that they are real survived through it all. She sometimes suspects that they are right under her nose, waiting for the day they can reveal themselves to her. 

    “I think you’ll like the picture on your plate after you finish eating, then,” Zayn winks playfully. 

    At that, Adeline feels excitement welling up within her. While it seems to be such a simple gesture, she is grateful to have objects encompassing some of her favorite parts of life. It’s comforting. It was thoughtful of these five men to plan so diligently for her arrival, but it also leaves an eerie feeling within her. They know  _ too  _ much about her. It had to have taken some time to gather so much intel. And, the whole setup is faultless. How much time had they spent in preparation? Apprehension clashes around inside her. 

    Adeline stares down into her plate for a few moments. There is too much occurring at a time. It feels surreal. So much has happened to the girl in such a short few hours that she is having difficulty distinguishing between everything. She tries to run through the course of the events that occurred today. It seems like an eternity ago that she woke behind those bars. 

    “Well, dig in, sweetheart,” one of them finally breaks her trance. 

    Adeline doesn’t look up. Instead, she picks up the fork again and gently punctures one of the cut-up pieces of chicken. She slowly brings it to her mouth and lands it on her tongue. As she chews, Adeline can immediately say that it is the best-tasting food she has eaten in a long time. Her tummy growls in anticipation when she swallows the first bite. When she looks up, they are all looking at her still, waiting for a reaction.

    “Good?” Liam prompts her. She nods a little, cheeks bright pink from the multiple pairs of eyes. Liam smiles wider, and Adeline finds herself enjoying the way the skin around his eyes crinkle, chocolate irises twinkling. “I’m glad you like it, little one.” 

    With that, the men gradually begin to eat their own food, the quiet clink of silverware sounding. Feeling a bit more at ease, Adeline continues munching on the delicious meal. The men note that Adeline is a dainty eater. Every bite is small and she chews her food thoroughly before swallowing. It adds to her adorable character.

    After eating only about two-thirds of the food, however, her stomach starts to protest. She is not accustomed to eating very much and the rich flavors are also somewhat foreign to her body. Feeling guilty about not finishing, Adeline shamefully sets the fork down by her plate. She can see glimpses of the fairy wonderland underneath her food, but is ultimately upset about not being able to see it in its entirety. She pouts to herself.

    It takes a few minutes for one of the others to notice that Adeline is finished. It happens to be the blonde haired man. Again, Adeline has trouble recalling a name and feels ashamed of herself. Her mother had always taught her that it was rude to ask a person’s name after already being introduced once. “All done?” He asks, smiling a cute, boyish smile. The others glance over as well, an instant cue for the pinkening of the bashful girl’s cheeks. 

    “Yes, mister,” she replies quietly, vision cast downwards. He responds with an okay before standing up from the table with his empty plate in hand. He walks over to where Adeline sits and grabs her plate and fork. “Sorry for wasting,” she apologizes quietly. 

    “S’okay, princess. Don’t want you to make yourself sick, now, do we?” His jovial aura makes Adeline feel a bit better. She shakes her head a bit half-heartedly. 

    “Didn’t get to see the picture.” The cute frown on her plump lips shows the genuine sadness the innocent girl feels with the confession.  

    “No worries,” Niall reassures. “There’s always tomorrow.” 

    Adeline feels happy over having another chance at seeing the picture. But then she really considers what the man said-  _ tomorrow _ . Tomorrow she will be in the same place, away from her home, with all of these new concepts and strange people. And maybe even after that. She is stuck. There is no way she can get far enough on her ankle. Plus, what would she even come back to? Her grandmother is gone and she is not even sure what fate her house has met. Surely all of her belongings are gone if the men visited her house. She would no longer be accepted at her jobs after too many absences. There are no friends to get back to. It would be pointless. The tiny bit of life she knew has disappeared in just a few short moments. Adeline has nothing and no one. 

    And with that, the crash of reality wipes away any progress that Adeline might have made in the past day.


End file.
